Wordless Wednesday: Autumn

85 degrees in October. Welcome to Florida!

My ring sling is worth its weight in gold.

Some days my little girl is so active. If I try to take her for a walk in the carrier, she will squirm and wriggle to get out because she wants to move around. She's becoming so aware of her surroundings, she wants to see EVERYTHING! I'm always a little bummed when I have to cut our walks short because she is just not happy sitting still.

Today, however, poor baby had a cold and she just wanted to snuggle. Unfortunately, I had several loads of laundry to do, reviews to write, and information to gather on this upcoming PCS. I couldn't spend all day holding her like she'd prefer and my relief was coming home late, which would be a huge issue if I didn't have my lovely Girasol ring sling. Because of this beautiful (and somewhat ancient) invention, I was able to get all of my chores done for the day and comfort my sick baby all at the same time!

My Light Rainbow Girasol Wrap-Conversion Ring Sling is my new favorite carrier. I love the quality handwoven material of the Girasol, and I absolutely love the excellent construction and traditional SBP-style pleated shoulder provided by Sleeping Baby Productions. If you have a wrap you'd like converted, Sleeping Baby Productions is definitely the place to go. Check the FB page if you need any convincing.



Also, I discovered three new reasons to love babywearing as a new mom:
1. It hides my new mommy muffin top.
2. It hides my now clownishly lopsided boobies (which are due to baby girl insisting on nursing exclusively on the right for the past week.)
3. Nobody cares that you haven't showered, brushed your teeth, or put on makeup when you're wearing a cute little baby!

Wordless Wednesday - Baby Feet

(This part isn't wordless. Deal with it.) I decided to jump on the Wordless Wednesdays bandwagon in order to motivate myself to post more pictures and post more frequently. Right now, I'm participating in Wordless Wednesdays on the Natural Parents Network. Here's my photo of little miss Silly Monkey:

Her favorite place to nap. <3

EDIT: Oops! Looks like I'm a week ahead. :facepalm: I'll just switch with next week's which is Story Time!

Why I Wear My Baby

Ignore my WTF face. The sun was in my eyes. Focus on the adorable sleeping baby.

     I've seen comments on forums and Facebook that babywearing is just "trendy" right now and that it will die out. (Which is hilarious, considering it's been a practice in cultures on almost every continent for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, but I digress.) So, maybe there are people who do it just because it's cool. That's probably true. Ask any mom why they do it, though, and they will probably have a story. Mine isn't heartbreaking or mushy, and as evidenced by the comments I get from my parents and grandparents about holding my baby "too much" it doesn't appear that I am passing down a family tradition. The reason I love wearing my baby is actually pretty selfish.
     See, I have anxiety. (This also explains my ongoing obsession with decluttering, but again, I digress.) Most of the time, this is triggered by large crowds, heavy traffic, or going someplace I've never been, but ever since I got pregnant, I get anxious thinking about all the terrible things that could possibly (but probably never will) happen to my child.
     Now, I have to admit, I got curious about babywearing because I thought wraps were pretty cool. Turns out I am not a naturally talented wrapper, so we are working with a Maya Wrap RS and an Ergo Performance at the moment. But the reason I've stuck with it, even when my daughter was not a big fan, is that I want her close to me. In public, babywearing prevents strangers (at least in my twisted brain) from being tempted to touch her, or worse, abduct her. Hey, it's happened! 
     When she's strapped to me, the only place people can touch is her feet, and good luck getting her out of the carrier unless you plan to take me with you. It makes me feel like she is safer. Any time I have taken her out in the car seat and had to put her down in public (like the grocery store or the post office) I have a mini-panic attack thinking that someone could just swoop in and grab her. Is that crazy? Yeah. It is. That's why they make Ativan. Since I'm breastfeeding and medication isn't an option, wearing her is clearly the best solution.
     I also hate strollers. I hate pushing anything in front of me at the store because I want to be able to move freely through aisles and racks of clothing. (Anxiety, again.) I always get a little basket when I go shopping if I can because I just feel less tied down. Strollers are the same as shopping carts for me. They create bulk and awkwardness, and I hate it. Pop Baby Girl in a ring sling and grab a little basket and we are good to go!
    
Other reasons I babywear:

• She is at about my eye-level when we walk, so she can see what I see.
• I don't get bruises on my thighs from dragging around the car seat.
• My Ergo and RS are much easier to fold up than a stroller, and they take up much less space in the car!
• I can nurse her in public with complete discretion. (Remind me to write about this!)
• I get a better workout when I take her for walks. And she's cuter than a 15-lb weighted vest.
• I have my hands free to do diaper laundry, cook, unload the dishwasher, or blog! :)
• There is nothing better than having a sweet little sleeping baby snuggled up to your chest. (And I think she likes the sound of my heartbeat.)

Seriously. Look at that face! (July 15, 2012)